Couch-roll mechanism for paper-machines.



P." R. THOM. COUCH ROLL MECHANISM FOR PAPER MACHINES.

APPLICATION nun AUG.6, 1909. f

' Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

s SHBETB-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1909.

Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

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COUCH ROLL MECHANISM FOR PAPER MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1909.

983,326. Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS T @FIQE.

PETER R. THOM, OF APPLETON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 KIMBERLY-CLARK COMPANY, OF NEENAH, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF VIISCONSIN.

COUCH-ROLL MECHANISM FOR PAPER-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 6, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, PETER R. THOM, a citizen of the United States,residing at ikppleton, in the county of Outagamie and State ofVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couch-Roll Mechanisms for Paper-ll/lachines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in couch roll mechanisms forpaper mills and refers more specifically to a couch roll mechanismcharacterized by the provision of a rubber covering and certaincooperating accessories in lieu of the usual felt jacket or covering.

Among the salient objects of the present invention are to provide aconstruction which will operate successfully and reliably inperforn'ling the usual functions of couch, rolls and will at the sametime eliminate many of the objections inherent to couch rolls as nowcommonly used with felt coverings; to provide a couch roll which willwear evenly and preserve its uniformity throughout its entire length forpractically an indefinite period, notwithstanding the machine of whichit forms a part may be frequently used for making webs much narrowerthan the length of couch roll; to provide a mechanism which willentirely obviate the carrying over of fragments of the paper web so thatthey pass a second time between the rolls; to provide a couch roll whichby reason of its dense, non-absorbent surface and acting in conjunctionwith a wiper which cooperates therewith, will obviate the carrying overof water with the roll and thus prevent the objectionable effectsresultant therefrom; to provide a couch roll covering, which whileextremely moderate in cost, will last many times the life of an ordinaryfelt covering; to provide a mechanism in the use of which the startingof the web through the couch rolls and on to the succeeding rolls may beaccomplished much more conveniently and reliably than with the couchrolls of the prior art; to provide couch roll which is devoid of fibroussurface and is therefore not attacked and worn down by the Fourdrinierwire web, as to those portions which are not protected by the web ofpaper or pulp passing between the upper and lower couch rolls, and ingeneral to provide an improved and eliicient mechanism of the characterreferred to.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafterdescribed and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of that portion of a paper machinein which the couch rolls are mounted, the front and rear end portions ofthe mill being broken away to reduce the size of the drawing. Fig. 2 isa plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view takenapproximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. l and looking rearwardly or in thedirection of the arrows. Fig. 4 is an axial sectional view of an endport-i011 of the upper couch roll showing particularly the rubbercovering of the roll; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged end elevation view ofthe wiper mechanism including its supporti'ng and adjusting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, it will be understood that in so far as theseveral parts of the paper mill. are shown they are of the usualconstruction excepting only in so far as the upper couch roll. and theparts which directly cooperate with the latter are concern'ed.

In the drawing, 1 designates as a whole the main side frames of themachine in which are suitably j ournaled the upper and lower couch rollsdesignated 2 and 3 respectively.

4t designates the Fourdrinier wire web which, as usual, is trainedaround the lower couch roll, the upper lap passing over the usual tuberolls (not shown), and suction boxes 5 on its way to pass between thecouch rolls.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the upper couch roll 2 isprovided with a vulcanized rubber outer jacket 6 (see particularlydetailed Fig. l) which jacket is externally smooth and of sufficientthickness and such consistency as to afford a slightly yielding orelastic surface. The jacket may be secured upon the roll proper in anysuitable manner, and is desirably of the full length of the roll and ofuniform diameter throughout.

, guard, the latter is mounted upon a bar 8 which is in turn adjustablymounted upon brackets 9 and vertically movable by ad justing screws 10.r

The upper couch roll is additionally provided with the usual wipermechanism located slightly in rear of the vertical axis of the roll;said mechanism comprising, in the present instance, a guard board 11(see de-- tailed Fig. 5) mounted to extend along the upper side of theroll, and shod at its engaging edge with a strip of felt 12. The wiperblade 11 is adjustably mounted upon suitable brackets 13, and is carriedby a block 11 adjustably mounted upon said brackets through adjustingscrews 12. A spray pipe 14 is also mounted. upon said brackets to extendacross and above the roll; said spray pipe being provided with dischargenozzles 14: as usual.

It is necessary for the attendant to mount upon a suitable platform orframe arranged in front of the couch rolls (said platform not beingshown) for the purpose of inspect;- mg, adjusting, or attending theoperation of said parts; and for convenience, a hand rail 15 isprovided, having its ends supported in the brackets 13 and extendingalong and above the roll.

The driving train which actuates the part of the machine concerned inthe present invention comprises arelatively wide, slightly coned drivepulley 17 (see- Fig. 9.) over which runs a belt 18 controlled by a belt-7 shifter, not shown, for varying the speed by the shifting of saidbelt. A main drive shaft of two-part construction, as indicated at 19and 20, transmits power from a clutch mechanism 21 to a beveled pinion22 which meshes with r a gear 23 mounted directly upon the axis shaft ofthe lower couch roll.

Clutch 21 is operated through a bell crank 24; pivoted at 25 andactuating rod 26 connected thereto and extending to the opposite side ofthe machine.

The general operatic-n of the machine is as usual, and thereforerequires no particular description. Describing, however, the functionand operation of the claimed combinations, the substitution of thesmooth non-absorbent-surfaced upper couch roll, for a felt-jacketed rollbrings about a different couching action as follows. With thefelt-covered roll, the web tends to follow the lower couch roll andaccordingly deflects downwardly in passing from the couch roll pass tothe felt beyond the latter; but with the smooth non-absorbent-surfacedupper couch roll, the web tends more strongly to follow the latter, andaccordingly is deflected upwardly from the roll pass. It follows thatwhenever the web breaks (and this is an occurrence which happens more orless frequently unde' all .operating conditions and in spite of thegreatest care), it is ObVlOUS that the web will follow up the face ofthe upper couch roll and, except for the provision of the advance guard,would accumulate in front of the wiper mechanism 011 top of the roll. Itis of course well understood by those skilled in this art that once themachine is running properly, it involves the loss of much time andtrouble to stop the machine; and accordingly it is the practice to letthe machine run and get the broken web replaced and running properly onto the felt which carries it to the press rolls, as promptly aspossible. In a very few moments the accumulation of partly formed paperat the top of the upper couch roll would be enormous were it not for theguard mechanism provided. It may be noted here that this is a newcondition incident to the use of the non absorbcntsurfaced upper couchroll, since the breaking of the web when using a felt-covered uppercouch roll, has ordinarily simply resulted in the broken web passingdownwardly around the lower couch roll to the save-all.

In the operation of the present invention, the broken end of the webwhich follows up the face of the roll encounters the guard T and keepsaccumulating against the guard and falling down until the operator hasattended to it. To get the web running properly again,- the operatorsproceed as follows: One operator proceeds to cut the web in rear of thecouch rolls by the use of a jet of water which is passed slowly acrossthe web from side to side. Inasmuch as the web is constantly traveling,this produces an oblique cut. The operator at the front of the roll, asthe advance corner of the gap or cut comes through, with one hand wipesaway the accumulation at the front of the guard 7, and with the otherpeels off the advance end of the intact web and directs it on to thereceiving felt. This operation of peeling off the web and transferringit, as well also as the wiping off of the accumulation in front of theguard (so as to avoid the dropping down of clots upon the web) is ofcourse a progressive one from one side of the machine to the other.

During the normal operation of my improved mechanism, z'. 6. while theweb is running through unbroken, there is nevertheless a more or lessconstant carrying up of flecks of pulp and fiber by the face of theupper couch roll; and were the guard 7 arranged to have actual bearingcontact with the couch roll, these flecks would very soon accumulate andform clots which would drop down upon the web and either break the sameor at least form defects in the web. By setting the guard slightly awayfrom the surface of the roll, however, these flecks pass underneath theguard and are washed away by the usual flushing and wiping mechanism inrear of the advance guard. It is of course obvious that the guard 7 mustbe adjusted very nicely and accurately to work properly in this regard.

By reason of the non-absorbent surface of the upper couch roll it leavesthe wiping mechanism at the descending side practically dry, whereas thefelt jacketed roll cannot be, even when wiped under great pressure,brought into a similar condition. Inasmuch as the rate of speed islargely determined by the interval of time required for squeezing thewater from the web between the couch rolls, it follows that with myimproved arrangement a higher speed is easily maintained. Inasmuch asthe upper couch roll has no fibers to be caught by the Fourdrinierwires, it is in no wise damaged or impaired by changing the width of webformation from time to time; it being well understood that the feltjacketed couch rolls are rapidly impaired when this is done. Moreover,the durability of the rubber-eov ered roll is such that its life is manytimes that of a felt jacketed roll, while the first cost of the rubberroll is not greatly in excess of the corresponding felt-jacketed roll.Another important feature of constant saving is due to the fact thatwith the smooth non-absorbent surface of the rubber couch roll, thewiper mechanism may be adjusted so as to bear very slightly against theroll, with a consequent saving of many horsepower.

A serious objection inherent to the use of felt-jacketed rolls isavoided, namely, as these felt jacketed rolls become worn, the outersurface of the felt having lost its coating of fiber to a greater orless extent, the surface becomes pebbled or uneven by the exposure ofthe threads of the weave, and these exposed thread projections leavetheir imprint in the web so that the latter is per manently marked withthe pattern of the weave of the couch roll. This is of course soobjectionable that as soon as the roll exhibits this defect to anyconsiderable ex tent, it must be re-jacketed. With the smooth surfacedrubber rolls this is of course entirely avoided.

There are other features of advantage which need not be recited.

lVhile I have herein described a preferred, and so far as I know themost practicable, embodiment of my invention, nevertheless I do not wishto be limit-ed to specific details of construction, except so far asthey may be the substance of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a paper machine, the combination of a smooth,non-absorbent-surfaced couch roll and a guard extending parallel withthe roll and in advance of a vertical plane through its axis, the loweredge of said guard being spaced away from the roll periphery a distanceless than the thickness of an ordinary paper web being formed, but outof direct contact with the roll.

2. In a paper machine of the Fourdrinier type, the combination with theupper and lower couch rolls, the former having a smooth rubber surface,and the Fourdrinier belt traveling between the rolls, of a guardsupported adjacent the upper couch roll in advance of its vertical axialplane, the lower edge of said guard being parallel with the couch rolland separated therefrom by a uniform gap of less width than thethickness of the paper web being formed between said rolls.

3. In a paper machine of the Fourdrinier type, the combination of anupper smoothsurfaced resilient and non-absorbent couch roll and a thinedged blade-like guard sup ported adjacent the roll in advance of itsvertical axial plane, the lower edge of said guard being parallel withthe roll surface and spaced therefrom by a uniform gap of less widththan the thickness of the web formed between the rolls.

4. In a paper machine of the Fourdrinier type, the combination of anupper couch roll provided with a yielding rubber jacket presenting asmooth peripheral surface, a guard supported adjacent said roll and inproximity thereto, the acting edge of said guard being parallel with thesurface of the roll and adjustably spaced therefrom by a uniform gap ofless width than the thickness of the paper web being formed below saidcouch roll.

5. In a paper machine of the Fourdrinier type, the combination of anupper smoothsurfaced couch roll, wiping mechanism acting on the reardescending part of the roll, and guard mechanism located in advance ofsaid wiping mechanism and arranged and adapted to catch and arrest thepaper web whenever it carries up the face of the roll and to avoidaccumulating clots formed of flecks of fiber carried up by the rollduring normal operation while the web runs unbroken.

PETER R. TI-IOM.

Witnesses J. R. BARNETT, Jr., NELs JENSEN.

